‘Brownie Points' gives audience something to discuss

Each talk back is different, Shaffer said, a brew of the various experiences and personalities of the Atlantans who attend the show on any given night. For some, it is an opportunity to share painful personal experiences; for others, it provides a light bulb moment; and for still others, it is a chance to explore solutions.

On a recent Saturday evening, the discussion, facilitated by Kathleen Wasch and Pearl Alexander from Georgia Institute of Technology, began when John Francis, 70, of Dunwoody wondered if the kind of racial profiling depicted in the play was still a fact of life.

Keith Jones, 54, of Sandy Springs answered the question with an anecdote about teaching his African-American son to drive and making sure that in addition to the mechanics of operating a car, he also instructed his son on what to do when -- not if -- he gets pulled over by the police. The response resonated with Francis.

"I wish there were more venues for people to have this kind of discussion," said Francis, who also participates in a discussion group with Eracism. The two men ended up exchanging contact information and vowing to stay in touch. Jones, who e-mailed Francis on Monday morning, said the interaction was his "little single bite of the apple"  that he hoped would have a rippling effect.

Comments from members of the audience underscored the need for more real and personal interaction among people of different races. Kathy Bernhardt, 62, of Buckhead recalled when her daughter attended the Westminster Schools and at each assembly or in the cafeteria, all the black students sat together. When Bernhardt asked teachers about it, they said there was little they could do to prevent the separation.

But Naomi Benveniste, 19, a student at Georgia Tech and one of the youngest audience members, said her experience has been different. Moving to Atlanta from Israel was an adjustment, she said, but in high school, her friends were a mix of races made up of students in her honors classes. "I see color, but it's not like it’s a big deal. Even now in college, I have an African-American roommate, and when I speak about her, I say, ‘My roommate is a senior,'  I don’t [identify her as] African-American." Benveniste was so moved after seeing the play that when she returned to her dorm, she and her roommates had a 20-minute conversation about how different things are now. "I think we are better than the generation before us, and I think our kids will be even better," she said.

While it was fairly easy for audience members to talk about their personal experiences, coming up with solutions to racial tensions was a bit tougher. That didn't stop them from broaching everything from the importance of individual responsibility to communitywide programs to widespread government responsibility, but it was Sherry Frank, 67, of Sandy Springs who may have said it best.

"We need to get in each other's places," said Frank, former executive director of the American Jewish Committee's Atlanta chapter. “We need to be in each other’s kitchens and in each other’s churches and at each other's weddings or bar mitzvahs. Solutions for me have to be personal. They have to be relationships and shared experiences." And for many Atlantans, sharing "Brownie Points" was a start.

Theater talk backs

‘Brownie Points'

Through Feb. 28. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. $35. Theatrical Outfit, 84 Luckie St. N.W. 678-528-1500, www.theatricaloutfit.org.